With the 7th overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, the Bucs have several different options to choose from. They can take the best player available or choose to trade back with a team desperate for a franchise QB, such as the Bills or the Bengals.
If they choose to stay with the 7th pick, they must go pass rush in my opinion and Bradley Chubb will be gone by 7 for sure. The second ranked pass rusher is Marcus Davenport. At 6′ 7” and 260 pounds, he is built like former Buccaneer, DE Simeon Rice, and is extremely athletic. At the Combine he had a blazing 4.58 – 40 YD and has good upper body strength, with 22 reps of 225lbs. Last year, at UTSA, he had 8.5 sacks and 17.5 TFL, rushing out of both 4-3 DE and standing up out of a 3-4 defensive front.
The Bucs could also trade down with a team like Buffalo or Cincinnati. Both teams need a franchise QB. If they choose to do that, the Bucs can add an extra 2nd or 3rd round pick and maybe a starting caliber player as well.
Should they choose to trade down, maybe a DE such as Harold Landry will still be on the board. At 6’3″ and 250 lbs, Landry put up big numbers at Boston College. In 2017 he had 16.5 sacks and 22 TFL. Unfortunately in 2017, due to an ankle injury, Landry only started 9 games, however he still put up 5 sacks and 8.5 TFL. He has great speed running, a 4.64 40 YD and is extremely athletic, with a 36 inch vertical leap. Landry is a little raw. He must learn more moves during his pass rush. He is going to have to learn that you can’t get by in the NFL with speed alone.
Some draft experts have us as taking Alabama safety Minkah Fitzpatrick or Florida State Safety Derwin James. The way I look at it that would be a mistake to draft a safety 7th overall. The last time the Bucs tried that they ended up with Mark Barron. As of right now Justin Evans is our FS of the future.
The Bucs must go pass rush in the first down and address they’re defensive backfield in Free Agency.
Check out my 7 round Buccaneer mock draft coming Wednesday!
